Al-Kafi 8216

Translation

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Umar Bin Azina, from Zurara, form Abdul Kareem Utba Al Hashimy who said, ‘I was seated in the presence of Abu Abdullah^asws at Makkah when some people from the Mu’tazilites came over to him^asws, among them was Amro Bin Ubeyd, and Washil Bin Ata’a, and Hafs Bin Salim a slave of Ibn Hubeyra, and some people for their chiefs. That took place on the occurrence of the murder of Al-Waleed, and the people of Syria differed between them, so they spoke a lot, and were concerned, and it was prolonged (discussion). So Abu Abdullah^asws said to them: ‘You all have exceeded upon me^asws, therefore appoing your matter to one man from among you, and let him speak with your argumentations, and he should be brief’. So they allocated their matter to Amro Bin Ubeyd, and he spoke, but he was constant and lengthy. So among what he said was that he said, ‘The people of Syria have killed their Caliph and Allah^azwj has Struck them against seach other, and Scattered their affairs. So we considered and we found a man of Religion, and intellect, and manliness, and status, and resource for the Caliphate, and he is Muhammad Bin Abdullah Bin Al-Hassan. So we wanted to form a consensus over him, so we pledged our allegiances to him. Then we manifested ourselves to be with him, so the one who pledges allegiance with us, so he is from us, and we would be from him, and the one who renounces us so we would refrain ourselves from him, and the one who establishes (hostility) towards us, we will fight against him, and establish (hostility) to him upon his rebellion, and return him to the Truth and its rightful ones. And we loved to present that to you^asws, so you^asws can include yourself^asws with us, for there is none who can be sufficient for us like you^asws can, due to your position, and the abundance of your^asws Shiah’. So when he was free (from speaking), Abu Abdullah^asws said: ‘Are all of you upon similar to what Amro has said?’ They said, ‘Yes’. So he^asws Praised Allah^azwj and Extolled Him^azwj and sent Blessings upon the Prophet^saww, then said: ‘But rather, we^asws are angered when Allah^azwj is disobeyed, so when He^azwj is obeyed, we^asws are pleased. Inform me^asws, O Amro! If the community collars you with its affairs, and authorizes you without any fighting and no expenditure, and says to you, ‘It is up to you whomsoever you so desire for it, who would you make to be its ruler?’ He said, ‘I would make it to be a consultation between the Muslims’. He^asws said: ‘Between the Muslims, all of them?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘Between their jurists, and their best ones?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘Qureysh, and others?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘And the Arabs and the non-Arabs?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘Inform me, O Amro! Do you befriend Abu Bakr and Umar, or do you disavow from them both?’ He said, ‘I befriend them both’. So he^asws said: ‘So you have opposed both of them. What are you all saying, are you befriending them or disavowing from them both?’ They said, ‘We befriend them both’. He^asws said: ‘O Amro! If you are a man who was disavowing from them both, so it would be allowed for you to oppose both of them, and if you are a man who befriends both of them, so you are opposing them both. Umar had pledged to Abu Bakr so he pledged his allegiance to him, and did not have consultations with regards to it with anyone. Then Abu Bakr returned it to him, and did not consult any with regards to it. Then Umar made it to a consultative council between six and exited from the the entirety of the Emigrants and the Helpers other than those six from Qureysh, and bequethed something among them which I do not see you being pleased with it, nor any of your companions if you were to make it a consultation between the entirety of the Muslims’. He said, ‘So what did he do?’ He^asws said: ‘He ordered Suhayb that he should Pray with the people for three days, and those six would consult and there would not be anyone with them except for Ibn Umar for them to consult him and there would be nothing for him in the matter. And he bequeathed the ones who were present from the Emigrants and the Helpers that if three days were to pass by before they are free, or pledge their allgiances to one man, that they should strike the necks of those six altogether. So if four were to gather (on one) and three days pass by, and two oppose, that they should strike the necks of the two. Would you all be pleased with this what you are making it to be from the consultation among a group of the Muslims?’ They said, ‘No’. Then he^asws said: ‘O Amro, leave that. What is your view if Supposing I^asws were to pledge allegiance to your companion whom you are calling me^asws to pledge allegiance to him, then the community united for you, and no two of them oppose you with regards to it, so you mobilise them against the Polytheists who are not submitting, and are not paying the taxation, would there be with you and with your companions the necessary knowledge what would make you walk upon the way of Rasool-Allah^saww regarding the Polytheists in his^saww wars?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘So what is that which you would do?’ He said, ‘We would call them to Al-Islam, so if they refuse, we would call them to the taxation’. He^asws said: ‘Supposing they were Magians, not being with the People of the Book?’ He said, ‘Same’. He^asws said: ‘So if they were Arab Polytheists and worshipped the idols?’ He said, ‘Same’. (At that) He^asws (the Imam^asws) said: ‘Inform me about the Quran, do you recite it?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘<span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:9#h29"><a href="/books/quran:9#h29">[9:29]</a></a> Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor do they sanctify what Allah and His Rasool have sanctified, nor do they make the Religion of Truth to be their Religion, out of those who have been Given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of their lowness</span>. So there is an Exclusion of Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic and His^azwj Stipulation (Prerequisite) from those who have been Given the Book, so they and those who have not been Given the Book, are the same?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘From whom have you taken that?’ He said, ‘I heard the people saying it’. He^asws said: ‘So leave that. Supposing they were to refuse (to pay) the taxation, and you fight them and overcome against them, how would you deal with the war booty?’ He said, ‘I would extract the one-fifth and distribute the four-fifths between the ones who fought over it’. He^asws said: ‘Inform me^asws about the one-fifth, whom would you give it to?’ He said, ‘Whomsoever Allah^azwj has Named’. He (the narrator) said, ‘So he^asws recited <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:8#h41"><a href="/books/quran:8#h41">[8:41]</a></a> And know that whatever war booty you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Rasool and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer</span>. He^asws said: ‘That which is for the Rasool^saww, whom would you give it to, and who are the near of kin?’ He said, ‘The jurists have differed with regards to it. So some of them said these are the near of kin of the Prophet^saww and the People^asws of his^saww Household, and some of them said it is the Caliph, and one of them said these are the near of kin from the Muslims who fought over it’. He^asws said: ‘So which of that are you saying it is?’ He said, ‘I do not know’. He^asws said: ‘So I^asws can see that you do not know, so leave that’. Then he^asws said: ‘What is your view of the four-fifths, would you distribute it between the entirety of the ones who fought over it?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘So you would be opposing Rasool-Allah^saww in his^saww way, between me^asws and the jurists of Al-Medina, and their elders, so ask them for they are neither differing nor are they disputing that Rasool-Allah^saww rather reconciled the Bedouins upon (the stipulation) that he^saww would leave them in their houses and they would not emigrate upon (the stipulation) if they were to be raided from his^saww enemies with a raid they would be fending them off and they would be fighting with them, and there would be no share for them from the war booty, and you are saying it would be between all of them. So you have opposed Rasool-Allah^saww in everything what you said regarding his^saww way with regarding the Polytheists. And along with this is what you are saying regarding the charity’. So he^asws recited to him the Verse <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:9#h60"><a href="/books/quran:9#h60">[9:60]</a></a> But rather, the charities are only for the poor and the needy, and the officials (appointed) over them</span> – up to the end of the Verse. He said, ‘Yes’. (He^asws said): ‘So how would you distribute it?’ He said, ‘I would distribute it upon eight parts, so I would give a part to each of the eight, one part’. He^asws said: ‘And if one category from them were ten thousand, and one category from them was one man, or two men, or three, would you make for this one similar to what you would make for the ten thousand?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘And you would gather the charities of the people of the urban areas and the people of the countryside, so you would make them to be the same in it?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘So you would have opposed Rasool-Allah^saww in everything what you have said regarding his^saww way. Rasool-Allah^saww used to distribute charities of the people of the countryside in the countryside, and the charities of the urban areas in the urban areas, and he^saww did not distribute between them equally, but rather he^saww distributed it upon a measurement of what was present from them (in numbers), and what he^saww (found) fit (appropriate), and there was nothing upon it regarding that, any timing or portion. But rather, he^saww did that with what he^saww saw to be in accordance with the ones who were present from them. Thus, if there is anything in yourself from what I^asws have said, so meet the jurists of the people of Al-Medina, for they are not differing in (the fact) that Rasool-Allah^saww, that is how he^saww used to do’. Then he^asws turned towards Amro Bin Ubeyd, so he^asws said to him: ‘Fear Allah^azwj and you all, the group! So fear Allah^azwj, for my^asws father^asws narrated to me^asws, and he^asws was the best of the people of the earth, and the most knowledgeable of the Book of Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic, and Sunnah of His^azwj Prophet^saww, that Rasool-Allah^saww said: ‘The one who strikes the people with his sword and calls them to himself, and among the Muslims there is one who is more knowledgeable than him, so he has strayed, and is a fake’.

Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.